The customs officers in a patrol boat intercepted two motor boats carrying 2,300 bales of second-hand clothing in Natuna waters on Monday (Jan 4), Evi Suhartantyo, information officer of the customs and excise directorate general, said here on Tuesday.

If the smuggling attempt had not been stopped, the state would have lost Rp6 billion in customs duties.

Both motor boats were taken to the customs and excise supervisory office in Tanjung Balai Karimun, Riau Islands.

On December 2009, the customs and excise office also stopped an attempt to smuggle hundreds of bales of second-hand clothing from Singapore to Batam. The action prevented the loss of Rp800 million to the state. (*)